Vertically undulating platform roundabout



Dem 1952 H. P. JACKSON 2,621,929

' VERTICALLY UNDULATING PLATFORM ROUNDABOUT Filed Nov. 27. 1950 I :5Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT'OR I 2 mmkm ATTORNEYS Deco H6, 1952 H. P. JACKSON2,621,929

VERTICALLY UNDULATING PLATFORM ROUNDABOUT Filed NOV. 27, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 16, 1952 H. P. JACKSON 2,621,929

VERTICALLY UNDULATING PLATFORM ROUNDABOUT Filed Nov. 27, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 3 I i [L i 1 I i H I G 0/ I 1:;5'

\ l l a \7L [B ATTORFJ TYS Patented Dec. 16, 1952 OFFICE VERTICALLYUNDULATIN G PLATFORM ROUNDABOUT Herbert Percy Jackson, Congleton,England Application November 27, 1950, Serial N 0. 197,663 In GreatBritain December 9, 1949 This invention relates toimprovements inroundabouts of the type in which a series of passenger carrying vehiclesor cars are traversed around a stationary undulating path or track toallow of each vehicle or car having independent internal motion impartedthereto.

According to the invention the vehicles or cars are mounted on a wheeledchassis supported on a platform, the vehicles or cars being constrainedby a vertical shaft passing through a slot in the platform, to travelradially of the platform as the platform traverses the undulating track.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the stationary undulating track with the wheeledplatforms mounted thereon, the vehicle bodies being omitted forclearness.

Fig. 2 is an end view on line 2-2 Fig. '1 enlarged and showing thevehicle body in position.

Fig. 3 is a plan of part of one wheeled platform from below to a largerscale.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 44 Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 Fig. 4.

Each vehicle or car A is mounted on a wheeled chassis A arrangedradially of a wheeled platform B carried by a vertical driven shaft BThe platform B rotates in known manner around an undulating path ortrack B The upper ends of two vertical shafts a are secured to theunderside of each chassis A to project through a radial slot b in theplatform B. A mnner or wheel a is mounted to rotate on the lower end ofeach vertical shaft a below the platform B. A pair of angles guides bare aflixed to the platform B on each side of each slot b by whichthe'runners or wheels a are guided, the horizontal portion of theangles-b preventing the runners or wheels at from lifting out of theslots 1).

The chassis A is carried on Wheels a mounted on axles a arranged atright angles to the direction of travel of the vehicles or cars A andchassis A on the platform B to allow them to move radially thereof asthe platform B undulates during rotation over the track B The wheels (1may travel on runways a arranged parallel to the slot b on the platformB.

The lower ends of the vertical shafts a are connected together by a flatrod C to which is bolted a plate 0 carrying studs to which one end oftwo pairs of springs C are attached, the opposite ends of each pair ofsprings C being attached to brackets c pivoted on plates 0 bolted t theunderside of the platform B.

A buffer disc D is mounted on a rod d arranged 2 Claims. (Cl. 272-44)centrally of the radial slot b at each end thereof, the rod :1 passingthrough a bracket d bolted to the underside of the platform B and alsothrough the flange of an angle member d supporting the guides b Abracket d is mounted on the end of the rod d to which are affixed theends of two springs D the other ends of which are attached to hooks dbolted to the angle member d As the outer periphery of the platform Bwhich rotates on wheels b mounts a rise on the undulating track B thechassis A and vehicle or car A travel inwards along the slot b againstthe action of the pairs of springs C until the inner runner or wheel acomes in contact With the inner buffer disc D which moves outwardsagainst the action of the springs D to bring the chassis: A and vehicleor car A to rest. When the chassis A has come to rest the platform Bwill have travelled over the rise on the track B and will be approachinga depression thereon to lower the outer periphery of the platform Bbelow the point of suspension of its inner end on the central shaft BThe chassis A and vehicle or car A accordingly commence to travelradially outwards under the initial action of the springs D and springsC assisted by centrifugal force and gravity until the chassis approachesthe periphery of the platform B when the outer runner or wheel a engagesthe buffer disc D at the outer end of the slot b, the disc D under theaction of its springs D and the pairs of springs C bringing the chassisA and vehicle or car A to rest preparatory to a further inward travel asthe wheels 27 again meet a rise on the track B A plurality of platformsB of substantially segmental shape are arranged around the central shaftB to which their inner ends are attached. Adjacent platforms areconnected together at their outer peripheries by hinges b aflixed toangle brackets b supporting the wheels b which travel over theundulating track B (Fig. 2).

A plurality of vehicles or cars A on chassis A are mounted on theplatforms B, the shafts a from the chassis A projecting through theradial slots b in the platforms B. The platforms B are rotated at such aspeed that the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of theplatforms is insufficient to overcome the force of gravity under whichthe vehicle or car A travels inwards.

The vehicles or cars A may be of any shape and may be connected togetherby a concertina like hood E to simulate a caterpillar.

What we claim is:

1. A roundabout of the type re rred to comprising vehicle chassis, aplurality of radially slotted segmental platforms, hinges connecting thesegmental platforms together at their outer ends, a vertical drivingshaft to which the inner ends of the platforms are attached, anundulating track, wheels on each platform engaging the track, verticalshafts bolted to each chassis and projecting through the slot in theplatform carrying the chassis, a rod connecting the ends of the verticalshafts below the platforms, a plate on the rod, springs attached at oneend to said plate and extending laterally from the opposite sides ofsaid plate, means for attaching the other ends of said springs to theplatform at opposite sides of the slot therein, said springs extendingat angles to said plate to yieldingly opposeinward movement of thechassis, a roller on the lower end of each vertical shaft, angle guideson .the underside of the platform along each side of the slot in whichthe rollers run, and wheels on the chassis engaging the upper surface ofthe platform'over which the chassis travels radially as the platformrotates.

v2. A roundabout of the type referred to comprising vehicle chassis, aplurality of radially slotted segmental platforms, hinges connecting thesegmental platforms together at their outer ends, avertical drivingshaft to which the inner ends of the platforms are attached, anundulating track, wheels on each platform engaging the track, verticalshafts bolted to each chassis and projecting through the slot in theplatform carry- -ing 'the chassis, a rod connecting the ends of thevertical shafts below the platforms, a plate on the rod, tension springsattached at one end to the plate and extending laterally from oppositesides thereof, means fixed to the platform at op posite sides of theslot therein and attached to the other ends of said springs, saidsprings extending at angles to said plate to yieldingly oppose inwardmovement of the chassis, a roller on the lower end of each verticalshaft, angle guides on the underside of the platform along each side ofthe slot in which the rollers run, wheels on the chassis engaging theupper surface of the platform over which the chassis travels radially asthe platform rotates, and spring operated buffers at the outer and innerends of the slots in the platform to bring the chassis to rest at theend of its radial travel in either direction.

HERBERT PERCY JACKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 508,994 Sprague Nov.:21, 18931,293,393 Feltman Feb. '4, 1919 1,501,613 Maynes July 15, 1924 2,225,411Feltman Dec. 17, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,137 GreatBritain I896

